18 Sickened At New Hampshire Restaurant Popular With Politicians

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Eighteen people were sickened with a gastrointestinal illness after attending a private function last month at a restaurant co-owned by a Democratic congressman that’s popular with presidential candidates, state health officials said Friday.

People who became ill with norovirus attended the private function Nov. 24 at the Puritan Backroom in Manchester, the state Department of Health and Human Services said. One person later died but it was unclear if the death was related to the norovirus outbreak, the department said.

The restaurant is co-owned by Rep. Chris Pappas and is famous for its chicken tenders. It has been in his family for more than a century and is a frequent stop for presidential candidates of both parties.

No one from the restaurant returned a call seeking comment.

After the outbreak, the Manchester Health Department conducted an inspection of the facility. Based on the inspection, health officials determined there was no ongoing norovirus risk to the public.

The common symptoms of norovirus are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain, health officials said. The state sees from 50 to 75 norovirus outbreaks every year.